Heading into June, the power rankings are staying the same at the top. The Houston Astros continue to be the most impressive team in baseball as they have already racked up 38 wins. That’s five wins better than any other team. In terms of the betting odds, there are some changes in the middle section, and a new team joins the mix from what has to be considered the best division in Major League Baseball. That would be the Arizona Diamondbacks as a number of experts are starting to take this team seriously.
Here is a look at this week’s MLB power rankings.
1. Houston Astros
Last Week: 1
World Series Championship Odds: +450
The Astros have been on fire over the last week, sweeping Baltimore at home and doing the same to Minnesota on the road, scoring 40 runs over three games against the Twins. This week, Houston travels to Texas and Kansas City. Carlos Correa (.516, three homers, 10 RBIs) and George Springer (.419, four homers, seven RBIs) were sizzling as the Astros hit .334 as a team, banging out 19 home runs and 59 RBIs to destroy the competition.
2. Chicago Cubs
Last Week: 2
World Series Championship Odds: +550
The Cubs, on the other hand, had basically the exact opposite week of the Astros as they were swept in Los Angeles by the Dodgers, and then they were swept in San Diego. Next, the Cubs host St. Louis, and then Miami comes to town. The offense was absolutely abysmal, hitting .184 with two home runs and nine RBIs, with Kris Bryant (.174, one homer, one RBI) and Anthony Rizzo (.154, one home run, two RBIs) as the main culprits. The defending World Series champions need to get it together, and in a hurry, or they’ll continue to drop in the power rankings.
3. Washington Nationals
Last Week: 4
World Series Championship Odds: +600
The Nationals won two of three at home against San Diego, then took two of three in San Francisco before heading to Oakland and then visiting the Dodgers in Los Angeles. The pitching staff was excellent, posting an ERA of 1.88 and a 6-2 record, with Max Scherzer stepping up to win both og his starts with a 1.02 ERA. Stephen Strasburg tossed a three-hitter over seven scoreless innings with 15 strikeouts and a walk in a 3-0 win over the Padres. Bryce Harper will likely be suspended for his brawl with San Francisco’s Hunter Strickland, however.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
Last Week: 7
World Series Championship Odds: +650
The Dodgers swept the Cubs at home, then won two of their first three in St. Louis before Thursday’s finale, and then they head to Milwaukee before hosting Washington. Chase Utley had a big week, hitting. 429 with three home runs and seven RBIs, while Brandon McCarthy and Alex Wood both tossed scoreless outings, which made up for a rare poor start by Clayton Kershaw, who lasted just 4.1 innings against Chicago.
5. Boston Red Sox
Last Week: 5
World Series Championship Odds: +800
The Red Sox won two of three against Seattle at home, then did the same in Chicago against the White Sox, and now they’ll travel to face Baltimore and the New York Yankees in a big divisional week. One hitter that is starting to come around is Jackie Bradley Jr., who hit .300 with two homers and seven RBIs for the week, while the Red Sox had an ERA of 2.79 as a staff. David Price allowed three runs in five innings in his season debut as Boston lost 5-4 in Chicago.
6. Cleveland Indians
Last Week: 3
World Series Championship Odds: +800
The Indians lost two of three at home to Kansas City, then won two of three at home to Oakland before Thursday’s finale, and next, they travel to Kansas City and Colorado. No one really stood out for the Indians at the plate, but they hit .286 as a team with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs, while the pitching staff had an ERA of 3.29 and they got wins from starters Josh Tomlin, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer. They currently hold the No. 6 spot in our power rankings after dropping three spots.
7. New York Yankees
Last Week: 6
World Series Championship Odds: +1200
The Yankees won two of three at home against Oakland, then lost two of three in Oakland before heading to Toronto and then back home to face the rival Red Sox. Aaron Judge swung the bat well, hitting .409 with two home runs and seven RBIs, but on the pitching staff, Masahiro Tanaka continues to struggle as he lost both of his starts with an ERA of 5.40.
8. Colorado Rockies
Last Week: 8
World Series Championship Odds: +1800
The Rockies won two of three at home with St. Louis, and then lost the first three of a home-and-home series with Seattle before Thursday’s final game. Next, the Rockies head to San Diego and then head home from two games with Cleveland. Gerardo Parra hit .538 at the plate with one home run and eight RBIs, but closer Greg Holland gave up an earned run for the first time in 14 appearances, although it was just his third of the season.
9. St. Louis Cardinals
Last Week: 9
World Series Championship Odds: +2000
The Cardinals lost two of three in Colorado and then lost two of their first three at home with the Dodgers and next, they head to Chicago to face the Cubs and then Cincinnati. The offense struggled this week, hitting just .231, although they did manage eight homers and 20 RBIs. Adam Wainweight tossed seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball in a 3-0 blanking of the Rockies, but as a staff, the Cardinals had a 5.22 ERA.
10. Arizona Diamondbacks
Last Week: —
World Series Championship Odds: +2500
The Diamondbacks edge out the New York Mets for the final spot as they split a four-game set in Milwaukee, and then they took two of three from the Pirates in Pittsburgh. Jake Lamb hit .300 with a homer and five RBIs, while on the pitching staff, Zack Godley didn’t get a decision in two starts, but he had an ERA of 2.25, allowing just three runs over 12.0 innings with 12 strikeouts and two walks. The National League West has to be the best division in baseball at this point: as of Thursday, the Rockies, Dodgers and Diamondbacks all had 33 wins.
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